Following a recent trial in Happy Valley-Goose Bay Supreme Court, 54-year-old Eric Rich of Natuashish was found guilty of a charge of second-degree murder.

The charge was laid by the RCMP in relation to the homicide death of a 37-year-old woman that occurred in Sheshatshiu on Sept. 1, 2021.

The trial began on Oct. 15 and finished Dec. 14. Rich remains in custody at this time. The matter is set for sentencing, with a scheduled court date of Jan. 17, 2025.

The provincial finance minister and president of Treasury Board says her new colleague in Ottawa is a good friend of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Dominic LeBlanc replaced Chrystia Freeland just hours after she resigned from Cabinet Monday, sparking a wild political day in the nation.

Siobhan Coady, who had many interactions with Freeland over the years in their respective roles, thanked her for her efforts.

A 55-year-old man is dead, as the result of a two-vehicle collision on the Trans Canada near Jeffrey’s yesterday.

RCMP were called around 6:45 yesterday morning after a pickup that was westbound on the Trans-Canada, collided with an SUV that was turning onto the highway from the road leading into Jeffrey’s.

The driver of the SUV, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene.

The two people in the pickup were taken to hospital in Stephenville for treatment and released.

A 55-year-old man is dead after a Tuesday morning crash at the intersection of the Trans-Canada Highway and Route 404 on Newfoundland's west coast near the community of Jeffrey's.

New, troubling charges have been laid against a man already accused of using and sexually abusing at least a dozen vulnerable young men and teenagers.

Sixty-four-year-old Tony Humby is now facing seven counts of child trafficking in the case.

The charges were sworn early this afternoon in provincial court.

That’s in addition to the 72 charges he’s already facing of personally inflicting sexual violence on his own victims.

Humby has already pleaded not guilty to those charges with a 37-day trial set to start in provincial court on March 3rd.

The new offences are alleged to have occurred between 2006 and 2022, and relate to allegations that Humby arranged hookups between his victims and other men.

His co-accused, 82-year-old Bruce Escott, has pled guilty to seven charges and will be sentenced in the new year.

The child trafficking charges may be the first of their kind in RNC jurisdiction since the infamous Big Bite Pizza sex-for-money, drugs and food case.

RCMP announced their first-ever bust for human trafficking in the province with arrests on the west coast just over two years ago.

The RNC is continuing to see an increase in the number of Vulnerable Sector Check and Criminal Record Screening Certificate applications, which means the wait time for the needed documents can be longer than usual.

Last year, the RNC completed close to 20,000 record checks. As of November 21st of this year, more than 21,000 record checks were completed, and thousands more were in the queue.

That’s on pace for an increase of approximately 30 to 35 per cent this year.

The Constabulary says every effort is being made to complete requests within 15 business days, however some applications are incomplete or inaccurate and require further follow-up. The onus is then on the applicant to resubmit their request.

Aside from the increased volume, the postal dispute also caused added delays, especially with applications that require fingerprinting and are sent to the RCMP National Forensic Lab in Ottawa for processing.

Tony Humby, a man already facing more than 70 charges related to the alleged abuse and exploitation of youths, has been charged with seven counts of human trafficking.

Travellers boarding some Marine Atlantic journeys to Newfoundland will be paying a little bit more next summer. Company spokesperson Darrell Mercer told CBC News ticket prices are increasing by four per cent for the seasonal Argentia service.

Police have located and arrested 28-year-old Aaron Day in connection with a stabbing at the Arts and Culture Centre in St. John’s.

Police say the incident happened on Saturday shortly before 3:30 p.m. when a security guard at the site was reportedly stabbed after what’s described as a “brief interaction.”

The security guard was taken to hospital for treatment.

Day has been charged with aggravated assault.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the RNC or Crime Stoppers.

RCMP say 31-year-old Brandan Bungay has appeared in court on a number of charges related to a sequence of events starting with the reported assault of a woman in Dover.

Glovertown RCMP were contacted on Tuesday, December 10th about a disturbance at a home in Dover.

On December 13th, a man was reportedly struck by a vehicle in Dover, which police were told was driven by Bungay.

In each case, Bungay was not able to be located and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

On Saturday the 14th, police responded to a single-vehicle crash in Centreville involving a vehicle that police say was being driven by Bungay. RCMP say before the vehicle left the road, the accused allegedly assaulted a passenger inside.

Bungay was arrested outside a home in Dover a day later, without further incident. He has appeared in court on a number of charges, including two counts of assault and one count each of assault with a weapon, uttering threats, and being unlawfully in a dwelling.

Brandan Bungay has been released on conditions which include a daily curfew from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. His next court appearance is set for January 21st.

RNC have recovered $150,000 worth of stolen property following the search of a property in Conception Bay South late last week.

The search resulted in the discovery of a wide range of stolen property, including off-road vehicles, generators, building supplies and equipment.

At least one stolen item dates back to a theft reported in 2013.

Vehicles that police say were used the commission of the offences were also seized as part of the investigation.

The RNC is now working to reunite the stolen items with their rightful owners.

The investigation is continuing with charges pending.

A search by the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary has yielded over $150,000 in recovered stolen property. Late last week, police executed a search warrant on a property in Conception Bay South. They located stolen property including off-road vehicles, generators, and building supplies and equipment, with at least one item dating back to a theft report from 2013. Vehicles used in the commission of the offences were also seized as part of the investigation.

Officers are now working to get the items to their rightful owners.

The investigation is ongoing with charges pending.

People are being asked to roll up their sleeves tomorrow to the annual VOCM Holiday Blood Drive.

The need for blood and blood products never ends and is particularly acute over the holiday period when fewer people are available to give the gift of life.

Canadian Blood Services is asking people to consider taking some time out of their busy pre-holiday preparations and donate blood.

Community Development Manager Gord Skiffington says the Christmas holiday period is a critical time for blood donations.

“There are not enough donors to keep up with the rising demand,” says Skiffington. “Currently, we see about 230 new donors across the country each day. We need to double that.”

The blood drive takes place at Canadian Blood Services on Wicklow Street in St. John’s tomorrow from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Thirty-one-year-old Brandan Bungay was arrested by Glovertown RCMP on Dec. 15, 2024, following reports of recent violent crimes.

On December 9, 2024, Glovertown RCMP received a report that, while unlawfully inside a residence in Dover, Bungay assaulted an occupant of the home.  On Dec. 10, police received a report of a residential disturbance in Dover. A woman was threatened and assaulted.  On Dec. 13, in Dover, a man was struck by a vehicle allegedly operated by Bungay.

In each instance, officers responded, looking to arrest Bungay, who was evading police. A warrant for his arrest was issued and shared on social media. On Dec. 14, police responded to a single-vehicle crash in Centreville involving a vehicle operated by Bungay. Prior to the vehicle departing the roadway, Bungay allegedly assaulted a passenger of the vehicle. 

On Dec. 15, Bungay was arrested outside of a home in Dover without further incident. He is charged with the following criminal offences:

• Assault – two counts
• Assault with a weapon
• Threats
• Unlawfully in a dwelling

Bungay was released by the court on a number of conditions, including a daily curfew from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. His next court date is set for Jan. 21.

Sales were off at the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation before a tax holiday came into effect last weekend. CEO Bruce Keating said traffic has been higher than normal since.

The Bay D’Espoir Highway at the Northwest Gander River Bridge is impassable after a single vehicle crash involving a transport truck.

There is no detour available and delays are to be expected for several hours as first responders carry out their work.

An update will be provided when the roadway reopens.

There will be tax increases for residents of Grand Falls-Windsor.

The town tabled its budget last night with a property tax increase of 1 mil – the first mil rate increase for residents since 2019. The town says the adjustment was made in response to the rising cost of equipment, services, labour and materials.

The town says the average property assessment value in Grand Falls-Windsor is lower than many other municipalities, which means that the mil rate had to increase to generate enough revenue to maintain and improve services.

The commercial mil rate remains unchanged.

The budget includes $50,000 in funding for expanded community events and $2.9 million in capital funds to continue with the town’s Community Center project. The labour budget for both stadiums has also increased by $107,000 for a total budget of $470,000 to accommodate a longer operating season.

Last night the Town of Conception Bay South tabled the 2025 budget.

The $44.3 million budget allows the town to maintain essential services, foster growth, and prioritize community well-being. This will be done without raising taxes.

The residential mill rate remains at 7.6 and the commercial mill rate remains at 11.5. Water and sewer tax rates hold steady. The interest-free monthly payment plans and property tax reduction programs for seniors and low-income residents will continue. Fees will be waived for residential improvement and home-based business permits. Build fees will be reduced for multi-unit and affordable housing developments.

Money was also allocated for the Manuels River Hibernia Interpretation Centre. Upgrades will be made to the Topsail Beach Rotary Park, Sgt. Ned Nugent’s Field, and Remembrance Square, including $100,000 for Jim Crosbie Baseball Field and $30,000 for Stoney Hill Tennis Courts.

There will also be several street, sidewalk, water, and sewer upgrades.

Both provincial opposition leaders are making requests of the government ahead of a debate, scheduled to begin on January 6th, on the Churchill Falls MOU.

PC leader Tony Wakeham has three specific requests he wants the premier to act on ahead of the debate.

The first is for the Public Utilities Board to review all aspects of the MOU. Wakeham says those findings should be made public, in line with recommendations from the Leblanc inquiry.

The second request is for the complete report from the 2023 Churchill River Management Expert Panel to be made public. Wakeham notes that that panel was tasked with making recommendations to maximize the value of the Churchill River.

Finally, Wakeham wants expert panels established to review each of the individual projects in the agreement.

Meanwhile, NDP leader Jim Dinn is asking that the debate date be pushed back.

He states that while the debate is necessary for transparency, there is not enough time for politicians to do “diligent consultation and outreach.”

Dinn is asking for the debate to be pushed to March 3rd, ahead of the spring sitting of the legislature, or later in January to allow all members time to digest the MOU’s contents and do consultation.

The Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture’s Wildlife Division has partnered with Memorial University to conduct testing for avian influenza in furbearers.

Trappers are encouraged to submit skinned carcasses of red fox, arctic fox, weasel, beaver, lynx, Labrador marten, mink, muskrat, and otter.

Memorial University will provide a $10 carcass collection payment for each specimen submitted, up to a total of 1,000 specimens. This program will only apply for the remainder of the 2024/25 trapping season.

Payment eligibility is on a first-received basis until payment forms for 1,000 registered carcasses have been collected (500 from Labrador and 500 from the Island of Newfoundland). Payments will be issued at the end of the collection process.

Carcasses can be submitted to any Forestry and Wildlife office. 

While the likelihood of becoming infected with avian influenza virus is low, individuals should still be cautious when handling wildlife.

Officers were spot on for thinking something was up after noticing a car heading down Peacekeepers Way in the pitch black with no headlights on last night.

Police hauled the vehicle over and were hit with the smell of alcohol coming from the man behind the wheel. The 67-year-old failed the roadside breath test.

His license was suspended for seven days and his vehicle was seized.

The Town of Paradise presented its 2025 budget on Tuesday. The 44.6 million dollar budget maintains the mil rates at 7.4 and 11.5 for residential and commercial respectively along with no changes to the water and sewer fees.

Residents will notice a small increase to the 2025 tax bill, estimated to be $102 per household. The Town will continue to offer the Residential Property Tax Assistance Program and the Seniors Discount.

There were also allocations for new snow-clearing equipment, the town will develop the Trenton Drive Open Space Area and new trails in the Silverbirch Crescent and Morgan Avenue areas.

Work will also be conducted on a new baseball field. The town will fund Metrobus Route 30 to be an all-day service starting next September.

There will be a feasibility study for a swimming pool, continued investment in water and sewer priority list, and allocation for the Infrastructure Reserve Fund.

The total number of emergency room visits across Newfoundland and Labrador has increased by six per cent over the last two years.

That’s according to data from Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services, using the Provincial Meditech Emergency Department Database.

Between December 2021 and November 2022 there were 459,560 total visits to ERs across the province.

That number increased by two per cent over the next year (to 469,368), and by another four per cent between December 2023 and November 2024 (to 488,098).

Meanwhile, that information is not reported to the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

The health authority says that’s because of variations in the way data was collected across the old regional health authorities.

As a result, they say data doesn’t currently meet reporting standards. However, work is ongoing to standardize how data is collected across the province, “which may support future alignment with national reporting systems.”

With the news of the Memorandum of Understanding between Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro and Hydro-Québec announced last week, the House of Assembly will reconvene on Monday, January 6.

This is due to a standing order where the Government has advised the Speaker that the public interest requires the House of Assembly to meet on an extraordinary basis.

An employee at the Arts and Culture Centre in St. John’s was sent to hospital with serious injuries on Saturday following a stabbing at the facility.

Police say the incident unfolded shortly before 3:30 p.m. after what’s being described as a “brief interaction” between the employee and another person.

Police have identified a suspect in the incident as Aaron Day. A warrant has been issued for his arrest on a charge of aggravated assault.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the RNC or Crime Stoppers.

Roads across Newfoundland are bare and wet. There is some rain falling on the eastern half of the Avalon Peninsula.

In most of Labrador, roads are snow-covered with icy and slushy patches.

The MV Kamutik W will arrive in Hopedale at 9:30 a.m. and is on a load and go schedule. The MV Qajaq W is out of service due to high winds.

Flights are on time in St. John’s, Gander, and Deer Lake.

The CEO of Marine Atlantic is prepared for the predictable pushback that will come with pending rate increases.

But with a growing gap between revenue versus expenses, Murray Hupman says something’s got to give.

Marine Atlantic released its annual review of operations yesterday in St. John’s, which listed about $100 million in revenue against $250 million in expenses.

Hupman says narrowing that $150-million gap will require a bigger federal subsidy and the first rate increases in seven years, adding the years of no increases are likely a thing of the past.

Hupman says he knows how that’ll be received.

“It will be the same; it will be the same issues. People will say it’s now starting to get too expensive to use it, and maybe they are right,” he said. “But—everything in our math, everything that we look at tells us that we are in a good place. We are standardized. If you measure other services and ask the cost per nautical kilometer basis, we’re not far off the mark. We’re actually right on the mark. So, we feel very comfortable that our rates are where they belong.”

Meanwhile, Marine Atlantic has taken possession of its new administration building in Port aux Basques.

Staff are in the process of moving to the new site.

A man who was under orders to stay away from a home in west end is facing several charges after showing up and causing trouble.

Police were called to an incident at the home just after 2 yesterday afternoon.

The 35-year-old, who was under court orders not to be at the address, was taken into custody and charged with assault with a weapon, resisting arrest, and breach of release order.

He was held for court.

On Tuesday evening RNC officers conducted a traffic stop in the Town of Conception Bay South.

Officers observed a vehicle heading west on Peacekeepers West with no vehicle lights illuminated despite it being dark at the time.

When officers approached the vehicle, officers could smell alcohol from the 67-year-old male driver. A demand was made for a breath sample and the driver blew a warning. His vehicle was seized for seven days and his driver’s license was suspended for seven days.

Education Minister Krista Lynn Howell says it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that government’s new cell phone policy is enforceable.

The new policy will be implemented when students return to class in the new year.

It prohibits personal electronic devices, such as cell phones, from being present during the school day from Kindergarten to grade 6, and during instructional time from grades seven to twelve. Exceptions will be permitted for students who need their devices for medical reasons and things of that nature.

The onus will be on teachers to make sure the policy is enforced in the classroom, but Howell argues everyone has a role to play.

She says the responsibility will be on everyone to “change the narrative,” and to “appreciate the learning aspect of our classrooms, the distractions that these cell phones can provide (and) that personal devices deter and disrupt our classrooms.”

In November the rate of inflation was down to 1.9 percent. That’s down slightly from 2.0 percent in October.

Most of the deceleration was due to travel tours and the mortgage interest cost.

Prices for food purchased from stores rose 2.6 percent, down slightly from 2.7 percent in October. Despite the slowdown, grocery prices have remained elevated.

A snowmobiler was rescued after suffering injuries on a frozen lake outside of Labrador City on Saturday.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary was notified of an SOS that had been received by a third party just after 1 p.m.

After receiving the person’s coordinates, the Constabulary, Labrador West Ground Search and Rescue, and paramedics all headed to Shabogamo Lake, which is about 35 kilometers east of Lab city.

The RNC arrived on the scene first and, with the risk of hypothermia top of mind, an officer headed out onto the lake with the help of a good Samaritan snowmobiler.

The officer, with a first aid kit and emergency blankets in hand, provided first aid to the 67-year-old man, who suffered serious injuries after striking an ice ridge.

Later on, search and rescue crews including paramedics helped load the man onto a sled. He was carried from the lake to an ambulance.

The RNC say the situation highlights the importance of taking safety precautions ahead of snowmobile trips, such as letting people know their plans, packing a first aid kit and blankets, dressing for the weather, and wearing a helmet.

A mining industry representative says the proposed Churchill Falls hydro deal could mean big gains for the sector — which, she says, needs the power boost to expand projects and reach decarbonization goals.

Small business owners say they've been struggling in the wake of the Canada Post strike. And now with postal employees ordered back to work, and Christmas Day just a week away, some say it's too little, too late. 

The Public Utilities Board should review the new Churchill Falls deal between N.L. and Quebec, according to PC Leader Tony Wakeham and Ron Penney, a critic of the Muskrat Falls megaproject. Both believe the Liberals want to get the deal done, in part for political gain. The CBC’s Terry Roberts reports.

There is no change in the mill rate in Paradise.

The town tabled its $44.6 million municipal budget for 2025 Tuesday evening.

Mayor Dan Bobbett says the town is not immune to rising costs and increased financial pressure and maintaining the mil rate means they have the revenue to sustain operations and services.

That doesn’t mean that taxes won’t increase per household. Residential property assessments increased this year and residents of Paradise will notice a small increase to their 2025 tax bill – an estimated $102 per household on average.

The town is spending money this year on new snow clearing equipment, the development of the Trenton Drive Open Space Area, and the development of new trails in the Silverbirch Crescent and Morgan Avenue areas.

Funding has been set aside for expansion of the Route 30 Metrobus schedule to an all-day service. The town is also looking at a feasibility study on a swimming pool.

Luigi Mangione is facing life without parole in the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York. Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg announced three murder charges yesterday, including first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder. "This was a frightening, well-planned, targeted murder that was intended to cause shock and attention and intimidation," Bragg said. (UPI)

Retail sales increased by 0.7% in November, with auto dealers in particular seeing a 2.6% jump. The rise in spending indicates a healthy economy, potentially impacting the Federal Reserve's approach to interest rates. However, sales at grocery stores, clothing shops, and restaurants declined, showing some remaining consumer caution amidst the progress. (AP)

Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan are reportedly in talks to merge under a single holding company to compete in the EV market. The merger may include Mitsubishi Motors to create one of the world's largest auto groups. Both companies admit to exploring collaboration opportunities, particularly focusing on electric vehicle initiatives. (CBS News)

Teen drug use has not returned to pre-pandemic levels, as indicated by a national survey showing high rates of abstinence from alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders. The only notable increase was in nicotine pouches. About two-thirds of 12th graders say they haven't used alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes or e-cigarettes in the previous 30 days. (ABC News)

Grubhub agreed to a $25 million settlement for deceptive practices, misleading customers on delivery costs and drivers on potential earnings. The FTC and Illinois Attorney General accused Grubhub of unlawful behavior, including inflated service fees and false advertising of pay rates. Grubhub must change its platform practices to ensure transparency and truthfulness. (NBC News)

Despite suffering an injury last week, Dawson Mercer kept his consecutive games streak alive and helped New Jersey’s offence in a comeback win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Here’s NTV’s Mark Dwyer.

Over 55,000 postal workers across the country were ordered back to work this morning, temporarily ending the month-long strike. Here, locally, it was a reluctant, last-minute return to work, fuelled with emotion. NTV’s Ryan Harding reports.

New restrictions on cell phones in schools will come into effect in the new year. As NTV’s Marykate O’Neill reports, the new policy was based on feedback from students, teachers, and other groups in education.

A four-alarm fire in Donovan’s Industrial Park early this morning caused significant damage to a ship repair facility. It also created challenging conditions for firefighters because of the nature of materials inside. NTV’s Jodi Cooke has this report. 

Saturday marks the first day of winter, a cue that the skiing and snowboarding season is just around the corner. Staff at Marble Mountain Ski Resort are getting ready for the season. NTV’s Don Bradshaw reports.

On Jan. 1, municipal governments will get a new set of rules from the province with the introduction of the Towns and Local Service Districts Act. NTV’s Colleen Lewis reports on what it will mean for municipal taxpayers.

NDP leader Jim Dinn weighed in today on plans for a special sitting of the House in January to debate the Churchill Falls MOU. He also believes a snap election could be called in the new year. 

The Town of Conception Bay South is holding the line on taxes as part of its $44.3-million 2025 budget.

The residential mil rate stays at 7.6 while the commercial rate remains 11.5.

Nor is there any increase in the water and sewer tax, which stays at $635 for residents and $930 for businesses.

Other highlights include $300,000 for enhanced operations and planning as the town takes over ownership of the Manuels River Hibernia Interpretation Centre.

Interest-free monthly payment plans and property tax reduction programs also continue for seniors and low-income residents.

There’s also $5 million for road and sidewalk work and $1 million for the new Gateway Drive development.